Not the election we expected

On April 28, Canadians will elect a new federal government for the first time since 2021, and polls could not be closer. Contrary to what most Canadians expected.

Debates over the housing market, the economy and carbon pricing – topics Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre was dominating over the past year or two – have suddenly become less pressing. Our attention has shifted. Ever since President Donald Trump began implementing his sweeping tariff plan and verbally attacking our sovereignty, Canadians from coast to coast have become united against a common threat. The future of Canada could be at stake.

Trump’s ultimate motives towards Canada have been widely discussed, but one thing is certain: the close relationship between our two countries has been severed, and international relations will demand considerable attention from our federal leaders for at least the next three years.

We are all one

Among Christians, this political predicament can be interpreted in a variety of ways. If we cannot fully agree on every aspect of the church, then it is no wonder that we’re divided over politics too. That’s why I think Christians must remember to respect each other’s opinions and perspectives, especially when the news and social media provide nothing but negativity and distress.

Galatians 3:28 says: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

I think Christians in Canada should apply this attitude even in our wider communities. Instead of left or right, recent immigrants or here for generations, gay or straight, or anything else that divides us, there is something that unites us. We are all Canadian – and that’s worth preserving. 

A tough choice

The leaders of Canada’s two leading federal parties, Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre, both support the preservation of Canada. Their platforms are not all that dissimilar from each other, either, especially after Carney’s recent changes to certain policies from Trudeau’s administration. 

However, Trump’s attacks on Canada have harmed Poilievre the most. The general Canadian public is deeply opposed to the sort of modern populist politics that Trump – and Poilievre to a lesser extent – employ. Meanwhile, with tariffs representing a significant threat, Carney’s previous positions as Governor of both the Bank of England and Bank of Canada position him as the candidate with the most knowledge and experience to deal with a trade war. Pierre Poilievre, on the other hand, is a career politician whose experience dealing with foreign policy is limited. 

Our country is divided as ever, and in the upcoming election, we need to look for who best represents a hopeful future for Canada. Policy and economic issues are not as important as a Canada that is free from American interference and threats.

This article is one of a series of three Gen Z perspectives on the 2025 Canadian federal election. The views expressed are those of the author, not of CC‘s editorial staff.